ON our way back we took up the gourd bowls and plates, which we found
quite dry and hard as bone, and put them in our bags. We had scarce got
through the wood, when Turk made a dart in front of us, and we saw a
troop of apes rush out of the way. But he gave a leap and brought down
one that could not climb so fast as the rest, for she had a young one
in her arms. Turk made short work of the poor thing, for ere Fritz
could call the dog off, the ape was dead. The young one, as soon as it
saw Fritz, sprang on his back, put its paws in his curls, and would not
let go. I at length got the ape from Fritz's back, and took it up in my
arms like a child. We found that it was too young to seek its own food,
and, as Fritz said he should like to take it home, we put it on Turk's
back. Turk did not at first like this, but we soon got him to bear the
ape, which held so tight by the hair on the dog's neck that it could
not well fall off. Fritz then led Turk with a string, that he might not
stray out of sight, or throw off his charge, which I think he would
have done had we not been on the watch.
It did not take us long to reach the bank of the stream near to our
home.
I need not tell you how glad my wife and sons were to see us safe back,
or with what joy the boys took the "real live ape" out of Fritz's arms.
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